FEATURED

In 1971, the Funkadelics released Maggot Brain, an album as unity-preaching as it
was genre-bending. The record begins with legendary guitarist Eddie Hazel’s empathetic
guitar solo over a minimal acoustic scale, setting the remainder of the album into a
tailspin of confused life stories.

Almost four decades later, Json releases Growing Pains. Akin to the title track of
Maggot Brain, Growing Pains is an extremely personal album that hits at the soul of the
human condition. Both projects boast similar covers – an artist struggling to emerge from
the soil like the first bulb of spring. And, of course, there is the coincidence of alliteration
– Maggot Brain / Growing Pains.

But that is where the similarities end.
Growing Pains is an album about submission to the Lord’s will. The theme runs
consistently in songs like “Held It Down” (featuring Butta-P & Ron Kenoly Jr.), where
Json expounds on the concept of trust in a relationship. Speaking from the perspective of
the Almighty, he spits “I am love, so loving you ain’t an issue for me. Look at my son
and point out a better picture to me.” Over sweeping, dream-like keys produced by
Benjah and Sky, Json raps about marriage being a tool that God uses for our
sanctification.

Continuing with the theme of submission is “I The Beast.” In this song, Json
takes the position of the Scooby Doo’s Mystery Machine Inc. in the unmasking of what
lies behind the facade of many – pride. “Prides at the heart of all depravity, and the Lord
saw the tragedy, so he sent his son the lift us up, Cuz if you notice now were all subject
to gravity.” The track, a movie soundtrack produced by Wit, is sure to get your
adrenaline rushing with it’s urgent-sounding drums.

Few songs speak truths that resonate in your soul like a penny on the head of a
bass drum. With “My Joy” (featuring Jai and produced by Wit), Json manages to deliver
such a track, explaining the reason for submission to the perfect will of the Father –
eternal glory. Json raps, “When pains rush hits you, like the wind do, think – we have
something angels look into.” This is surely what the apostle Paul meant in Romans 8:23
when he said “we groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons.”

Apparently an important topic for Json, “Secrets” (produced and featuring J.R.)
gives a chilling description of a child having their sexual innocence ripped away. Json
raps: “Someone’s next to me, their weight is on my bed, my cover’s pulling back, a hand
is on my leg.” J.R. sings: “Who do you think you are to take what wasn’t yours? The
innocence I once adorned was striped away behind closed doors. The Enemy’s inside my
home, but who would ever listen to me?” It is a song so wrought with imagery that it is
difficult not to shed a tear.

The one thing Growing Pains seemed to lack was cohesiveness. Intermingled
through Growing Pains, the more rock-centered tracks “2 Human” (featuring
Lecrae), “It’s Alright” (featuring Mikes Chair), “Behind the Clouds” (featuring Christ Lee)
and “Credits Roll” (featuring Benjah) stick out like sore thumbs. While the new direction
has made for a much more well-rounded, Christian mainstream sound than Json’s
previous efforts, it all seems too contrived and unsettling.

Maybe Growing Pains would have had a greater impact had the aesthetically
darker tracks preluded the more mainstream “feel good” tracks. Regardless, Growing
Pains is still an album that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Chad Horton has co-owned and operated Rapzilla.com with Philip Rood since 2010, bringing with him a decade of music business experience. Horton is also the Director of Marketing for Syntax Creative, the largest independent digital distributor of Christian & Gospel music, among other genres. Originally from Northern California, Horton rooted himself in San Diego with his wife of nine years, as well as two beautiful daughters.